Pat Collins

1956 - 2002
Pat's contribution to CRAICMORE spanned more than a dozen years. He was the only remaining founding member of the "Clumsy Lovers," the first incarnation of CRAICMORE. Though Pat left the band in the early 1990s, he returned in 1996 and was a permanent member until his death.

Pat's energy, humor and raw passion for the music spoke to all who heard him play. His commitment to CRAICMORE and to Celtic music in general was a constant inspiration to all the other members of the band. Pat was always willing to experiment with new tonal colors and rhythmic textures and brought a great number of traditional tunes to CRAICMORE'S arrangements. Pat was the melodic pillar of the band. His blistering whistle playing, wild hair and off the wall stage banter were his alone. He is irreplaceable as a friend and band member.

Pat Pics  1 2 3 4
OBITUARIES
IRISH MUSIC MAGAZINE
11 Claire Street
Dublin 2
Ireland
vol 8 No 4. November 2002

PATRICK COLLINS A FOND MEMORY

Patrick Collins died Thursday 26th September night, alone at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes. Pat was 45 years old. Pat was the tin whistle and fiddle player in the West Coast Los Angeles based traditional Irish band “Craicmore.” Though Craicmore had a couple of CD’s out and available, the band made its real name in live performances all over the Western United States.

Pat was also an integral member of the Celtic Arts Center in North Hollywood, and had been involved with the centre for many years. He ran both the famous Monday night Session and the Slow Session for beginners on Sundays. He was alway there for the musicians as a friend, a teacher, and a role model. He had over 400 tunes committed to memory and could pull any one out at the drop of a hat.

Known as a generous man, Pat never had much, but what he did have he shared with friends and strangers alike. He was known to meet homeless people on the street and literally give them whatever cash he had on him at the time.

Whenever one of the slow session musicians would show up for the big Monday night session, Pat would haul them up out of the safe confines of their hidden seats in the dark back corners and seat them centre stage in the midst of the more competent musicians. Then, instead of letting them suffer the embarrassment of not being able to keep up, Pat would find a tune the beginner knew and would lead off slower so the new person could play along. He did this for all of us and gave us the joy of playing with such accomplished musicians.

He treated us all as if we were his best friends, and in turn, became our best friend. On the Monday after his death the Center devoted the Session to Pat, and what on a normal Monday night is a gathering of about 15 musicians and 30 or 40 listeners and Celtic Arts center members, blossomed into an outpouring of emotion that was unbelievable. At least 25 - 30 musicians showed up and played, a 20 person choir sang in Gaelic, a pipe and drum band called the “Wicked Tinkers” played an extended set, joined by local bagpipe master John MacLean Allan.

The crowd was so huge that the centre could not hold them all. The crowd filled the small 50 seat theatre that houses the Celtic Arts Center, with people sitting in the aisles, crowded into the tiny pub in the back, stuffed into the entry ways, and spilling over into the parking lot out front. What started out as a rather sombre occasion ended up a huge Irish wake/hoolie that didn’t stop until around 1:00 a.m.

He will be sorely missed by all of us who knew and loved him.

Good-bye my friend. Good-bye Pat.

W.E. Houchins
Los Angeles, CA
folkWORKS Magazine
Los Angeles
vol 2 Number 6
November/December 2002

PASSINGS
Patrick Jay “Pat” Collins, 45, tin whistle player and fiddler for LA Celtic band Craicmore, died September 26, 2002 of apparent natural causes at his home in Pacoima. An autopsy is pending.

Pat, who also frequented local Irish sessions for the past 15 years, was born in Los Angeles and was raised in the house in which he died. He pursued a great variety of interests in his life. He was a surfer, rock climber and an avid reader. Trained as an animator at California Institute of the Arts in Valencia and later at Disney Studios in Florida, he worked professionally in that field in addition to his musical career.

His interest in Irish music started with a Chieftains album given to him as a teenager. Later Pat, who was classically trained on piano and also played harmonica, took up the tin whistle and fiddle. It is on tin whistle where he was most skilled, appreciated by fellow musicians for his broad knowledge of instrumental tunes, as well as his sensitive touch, particularly when playing slow airs. Audiences loved his sense of humor, his unruly dreadlocks and the obvious joy with which he played. Offstage he was loved for his welcoming demeanor. Pat was one of the few regular session players in the LA area to not only accept but encourage and nurture beginners, and for a short time he led both regular and beginner’s sessions at LA’s Celtic Arts Center.

The Celtic Arts Center was the site of a tribute to him at its regular Monday session on September 30. A chair containing a single rose, a tin whistle and a photo of Pat, was placed in the middle of the session circle. A moment of silence was observed, and friends told stories of his gentleness and warmth between the playing of tune sets. As someone who knew him for fifteen years, I can say that this was no idle sentiment. Pat was a truly generous person, always ready to hand his last dollar to someone who needed it, and a great lover of animals who was taking care of several stray cats at the time of his death.

The Celtic Arts Center intends to pay tribute to him by naming a chair in his honor, and they also hope to someday name a Music Room for him once they have moved into a larger space.

He is survived by his sister Cathy. In lieu of flowers, his family has asked that donations be made in Pat's name to:
Cat Connection
PO Box 18456
Encino, CA 91416


Irish News and Entertainment
Los Angeles
Volume XI Issue 10
Fall 2002

Pat Collins, Craicmore Member and Longtime Celtic Arts Center Supporter, Dies Suddenly

Patrick Jay Collins, 45, known throughout Southern California Celtic music circles as “Pat,” died of natural causes, September 26, 2002, at his home in Pacoima. He was alone and had apparently been practicing music before he died.
Pat was loved by everyone who knew him for his generosity, his gentleness, and keen intelligence. He was a member of popular L.A. Celtic band, Craicmore, an attache for the Wicked Tinkers, and a friend to all.

A wake to celebrate his life was held at the Celtic Arts Center September 30 as part of the regular Monday night Seisiun, which he had been in charge of. In addition to his music, Pat was an artist, a rock climber, a surfer, and animal lover, and a champion of justice. He had been a part of The Celtic Arts Center from its earliest days.

With his long dreadlocks, his elfin smile, and his Gaelic airs, Pat Collins did not look like anyone else. His unassuming presence and warm personality marked him as an original in character as well.

His unexpected death has opened a chasm in the lives of his many friends. Another wake will be held for him at his home on September 12. He is survived by his sister. In lieu of flowers, his family has asked that donations be made to Cat Connections. A fund is being raised to name a chair at the Celtic Arts Center for Pat, and it is hoped that someday a Music Room at the Center will be named for him.
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